Malacañang on Tuesday dismissed claims that the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Convergence and Special Support Program (CSSP) is a newly discovered or undisclosed public works fund, emphasizing that the program has existed for over a decade.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the CSSP was already established before the Marcos administration, extending back to the tenure of former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson. Castro noted that describing the program as a secret budget is “inaccurate,” reiterating clarifications from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) that the fund is fully disclosed and standard practice.
The program funds critical infrastructure, including access roads servicing airports, seaports, tourism hubs, industrial zones and railway stations.
“Convergence was precisely intended to allow DPWH to provide the infrastructure requirements of programs being undertaken with other government agencies. Over the years, this has included access roads and other infrastructures supporting tourism, agriculture, education, health, national security, industries, airports, seaports and other national priorities,” Castro said, quoting the DBM statement.
“The current CSSP is therefore an umbrella program covering different types of infrastructure projects, not a single discretionary fund. The Sustainable Infrastructure Projects Alleviating Gaps or SIPAG as well as the Basic Infrastructure Program or BIP have likewise been lodged under this program,” she added.
Addressing allegations that the CSSP served as a source for anomalous or ghost projects, referencing claims raised regarding P1.1 trillion allocated to the program between 2022 and 2024, Castro urged critics to substantiate their assertions with concrete evidence.